Music-leaf turner



(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 2. B. P. D. MILLER. MUSIC LEAP TURNER.

No. 463,529. Pitented Nov. 17,1891.

WITNESSES 1/VVEVVZ07?;'

(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 3.. B. F. D. MILLER. MUSIC LEAF TURNER.

No. 463,529. Patented Nov. 17,1891.

wlwzafi: jwyamzn y I %fv/6a raw WIN 19828 H UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN F. D. MILLER, OF WOOSTER, OHIO.

MUSIC-LEAF TURNER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 463,529, dated November17, 1891.

Application filed April 8, 1891- Serial No. 388,086 (No model.)

To coZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, BENJAMIN F. D. MILLER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of lVooster, in the county of Wayne and State ofOhio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Music-LeafTurners; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in music-leaf turners.

The object of the invention is to providea reliable and efficient devicefor the above purpose, by means of which music may be turned eitherforward or backward, according to requirements, or as desired.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination ofparts hereinafter fully described, and definitely pointed out in theclaims.

111 the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of amusic-leaf turner c011- structed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a front View of the upper portion of the device. Fig. 3isadetail perspective view of the lower rail or bar of one of theleafturners. Fig. l is a detail view of the devices for actuating theleaf-turners. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the upper portionof the device.

In the said drawings, the reference-numeral 1 designates a standard orupright having at its upper end an adjustable music-rack 2. At its lowerend the upright is supported by a tripod 3. To the upper and lower sidesof the rack 2, at the center thereof, are secured brackets 4, providedwith upwardly-projecting studs 5, which form the journals of theleaf-turners. Nearthelo-wer edge of the rack, and upon each side of thecenter thereof, are cleats 6, having outwardly-projecting flanges 7,upon which a music-book is supported, the flanges 7 at their centersbeing cut away or recessed at S to receive a rubber strap 9. This strapis secured to the rack at its lower end, and when the book is in placeis carried upward over the same and its free or upper end connected witha stud 10, secured to the rack, being provided with a loop 12 for thatpurpose. Of course it will be understood that the straps are only toengage with the backs of the book or those portions or leaves which arenot to be turned. The rack is also provided with a series of cleats 13for the book or music to rest against.

The numeral 14L designates the leaf-turners, which may be of any desirednumber, and each consists of top and bottom rails 15 and 16, connectedat their outer ends by means of vertical rails 17. The rails 15 and 16are recessed at their inner ends and provided with extensions 18, havingapertures to receive the studs 5, which form pivots for the same. Eachof the bottom rails 10 is provided with four recesses 19, 2O, 21, and22. At the inner walls of recesses 19 and 21 are oppositely-projectingbeveled arms 23 and 24:. These may be formed by turning the strips cutto form said recesses at right angles to the rails, or they may beformed in any other manner found convenient or desirable. Upon oppositesides of the rails are pivoted gravitygates 25 and 20, having recesses27 at their lower inner ends. It will be seen that the arms 23 and 24project through the recesses 19 and 21, so that their beveled ends willcome in contact with the inner ends of the gates 25 and 26 of theadjoining leaves, so that all of said gates except those on theoutermost leaf-turner will be out of line with the operating-arms, ashereinafter set forth.

Secured to the lower side of the rack 2 is a bracket 28, in which arejournaled two vertical rods 29, carrying, at their upper endsoutwardly-projecting arms 30 and 31. These arms at their outer or freeends are provided or formed with upwardly-projecting beveled studs 32,which are adapted to engage with the gravity-gates in order to actuatethe leafturners. These arms project in opposite directions-that is tosay, one is arranged on one side of the center of the rack, while theother is located on the other sideand one 30 is shorter than the one 31,so as to engage with the gates nearest the inner ends of theleaf-turners, while the other is adapted to engage with the outermostgates. Secured to each of the rods 29 is a cogged segment- 33, whichengages with a corresponding segment 34 on the inner end of a two-armedlever 35, pivoted in the bracket 28. These levers are provided withfinger-plates 36 and also with a series of apertures 37 to receive theupper ends of chains 38. The lower ends of these chains are connectedwith treadles 2-39, pivoted to the downwardly-extending leg a0 of thetripod 8, coiled springs all being connected with the tripod andtreadles, so as to return the latter to normal position afterdepression. Encircling the rod 29 are coiled springs 42, which serve toreturn the levers and arms to normal position after they have beenactuated. There is also a vertical rod 43 on the bracket 28, whichprevents either of the arms 30 or 31 from being thrown past the centerof said bracket.

The upper edges of the lower rails of the leaf-turners are provided withhooks 5 .4, with which are engaged rubber bands 45, which at their upperends are connected with a stud 46 on the upper rail. The music-sheetsare located between these rubber bands.

At each end of the rack is a vertical strip 49, having rubber cushions50 at the top and bottom, which act as a buffer for the leafturner andtake up the shock.

The operation is as follows: Vhen the piece of music to be played is ina book, the latter is secured to the rack by means of the rubber straps9,by passing said straps over the back of the book and such leaves as itis not desired to use. The leaves from which it is intended to be playedare then connected with the leaf-turners by means of the rubber bands,one leaf to each of the turners or frames, by inserting the leavesbetween said bands. Of course when loose leaves of music are employedthe straps 9 are not used, the leaves being inserted between the bands45, as before stated. The leaf turners or frames are then arranged uponor turned over to one side (the right) of the rack, so that the firstpage to be played will be in proper position. In turning these leafturners or frames to such position the arms 23 will project through therecesses 19 and engage with the gravity-gates 25, cansing all of saidgates, except the one on the outermost leaf-turner, to be elevated andthrown out of the path of the stud on the arm 30. \Vhen it is desired toturn the leaf, the arm 30 is actuated either manually by depressinglever 35 or by means of one of the treadles 39, which, through themedium of the cogged segments and 34, causes said arm to be thrownoutward, when the stud on the end thereof will come in contact with thegravity-gate 25 on the outermost leaf-turner and throw the latter overto the opposite side of the rack, displaying a new page of music. As theleaf-turner is then aetuated,the projecting arm 23 thereon will leavethe gate on the next adjoining leaf-turner, allowing said gate to falldown, so as to be engaged with the said arm when next operated. Thesearms 23 also serve as stops for the gates and limit the movementthereof. This operation can be repeated until all the leaves have beenturned, the arms 24: on the opposite sides of the turners acting uponthe opposite gates 26 in a similar manner, so as to have all of thelatter, except the one on the turner last actuated, out of the path ofthe arms 31.

From the above it will be noted that by means of the arms 23 and 24*-and gates 25 and 20 that only the outermost leaf-turners or those whichcarry the exposed sheets of music will be actuated upon by depressingthe levers 35, and that as said leaf-turners are actuated the gate onthe next adjoining one will be broughtinto position to be engaged by thelevers. From the above it will also be seen that the turners or framescan be shifted to the right or left of the rack, as desired, oraccording as the music is written,

and that, also, they may be actuated by hand or foot, as maybe foundconvenient. The rack can also be disconnected from the up right orstandard, so as to be placed upon a piano or organ, in which case theturners will be operated by the finger-pieces on the levers Having thusdescribed my invention, what I claim is 1. The combination, with a musicrack or stand, of the pivoted leaf turners 0r frames the lower rails ofwhich are provided with a series of recesses, the gravity-gates pivotedto opposite sides of said rails, the opposite outwardly-projectingbeveled arms adapted to actuate said gates, the levers engaging withsaid gates, and means, substantially as de scribed, for operating saidlevers.

2. The combination, with a music rack or stand, of the pivotedleaf-turners having recesses in the lower rails, the gravity-gatespivoted to said rails, the oppositely-projecting beveled arms, thebracket secured to the rack, the vertical rods pivoted therein, hav ingthe arms at their upper endsprovided with upwardly-extending lugs, thecogged segments on said rods, the pivoted levers having cogged segmentsat their upper ends, the chains, the pivoted treadles, and the coiledsprings connected therewith, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a music rack or stand, of the pivotedleaf-turners having a series of recesses in their lower rails, thegravity-gates pivoted to said rails and having recesses in their innerlower ends, the oppositely-projecting arms adapted to actuate saidgates, the bracket secured to said rack or stand, the vertical rodspivoted in said brackets, the arms at the upper ends of said bracketshaving beveled studs on their outer ends, the cogged segments secured tosaid LOO IIO

my own I have hereunto aliixed my signature in presence of twoWitnesses.

BENJAMIN F. D. MILLER.

Witnesses:

THOS. A. KAUFMAN, LYMAN R. ORITOHFIELD, Jr.

